Racine

The name "Racine" is the French word meaning Root. "Root" is the English translation for the
word that the Native Americans called the river in the area. In the 1830s the the city of Racine
was called "Port Gilbert" after Gilbert Knapp, early settler and founder of the city.

A name the Romans called Scotland in ancient times. Perhaps
early Scottish settlers gave this area of Racine its name. (Formerly known as "Stern's Crossing"

Caledonia Centre

Now called Caledonia. (submitted by Doris Demet)

Crestview

Franksville

Earliest settlement of this area was in 1791 by Jacques Vieau, who
opened a trading post. At that time, the place was called Skunk Grove.
The place was named Franksville in the 1870s when the Chicago
and North Western Railroad had a switching point here. Supposedly an employee of the
railroad was a brakeman by the name of Frank and he used to leave the train at this
location to go a-courting a girl. Frank's Villa became Franksville.

Hoosier Creek

Old name for Husher.

Husher

Original name was Hoosier or Hoosier Creek. When the name was
officially registered, it was misspelled "Hisher". Perhaps through pronunciation
through the years Hisher became Husher. Located in Sections 9 & 10, Township 4, Range 22. NOTE: In
one old record I have seen this place called "Washer" erroneously.

Ives Station

This village was surveyed on Nov. 23, 1896 by Harry Orwig.

Kilbournville

Located in Section 18. It was the site of a post office, church, school,
store, and several houses in early days.

Lamberton

Named after an early
settler. A post office was located here.

Linwood

Located in Section 23 Township 4 Range 22. It was
never officially plotted as a village. Name origin unknown.

North Bay

Name was given to the village by Louis F. Pope. The land was platted in 1926.

North Racine

Area surveyed and platted by Edward Leidel on Sept. 21, 1905. Located in sections
15, 21 and 22.

Rushville

Skunk Grove

Now called Franksville

Stern's Crossing

Early name for the village of Caledonia.

Tabor

Possibly named by Bohemian settlers around the 1850s after the gypsy
word for "gathering place"

Thompsonville

Located on the border between Caledonia and Raymond townships. It was
named after early settlers named Thompson. A post office was located here.

Willow Creek

Neighborhood southeast of Tabor. Was never plotted as a village.

Wind Point

Supposedly named after a large wind blown tree that was, in early times, used
for navigation by Lake Michigan sailors. A lighthouse replaced the tree in 1880.

A post office was established here on Nov. 17, 1893. Elisha Lewis was the
first postmaster. The post office was discontinued in 1904. Origin of name unknown.

Brighton

Former name for the Town of Dover or for Kansasville

Dover (Village)

Eagle Lake

Kansasville

There are two possible origins. Possibly named after the Kansas-Nebraska
Bill in Washington D. C. Another story has it that an early settler family moved
from here to Kansas but moved back because of a drought and the village was named in
their honor.

Pan Yan

A post office was established here in Section 14 in 1864.
Origin of name unknown.

Rosewood

Trowbridge

Plot of land where the Town of Dover's first resident settled in 1858. It was the site of
his home and an Inn. Location of the site in the present day is Highway 11 and Sheard Road. This location
was also known as "Captain Trowbridge's Place".

Former name for Sturtevant - named in 1901 after the Corliss Engine Works
was established there. The land was surveyed August 13, 1901, incorporated as a village
Oct. 28, 1907. The name changed to Sturtevant on Oct. 1, 1923 after the Sturtevant Company located
here.

Elmwood Park

Incorporated June 27, 1960.

Forest Park

see Sanders Park - named for the natural hardwood forests in the area.

Gatliff

Horlicksville

Located in the north eastern part of the town. This place is named after
Horlick's Food Co. and Horlick's Malted Milk Co. established by William and James Horlick.

Johnson

Former name for Sturtevant. In 1875 William M. Johnson was established
as the first postmaster.

Lakeside

Mygatt's Corners

Homestead established by Wallace Mygatt at the junction of Green Bay
Road (Highway 31) and Highway 20.

Parkersville

Platted in 1873 by Mr. Stillman Parker - land next to Western Union Junction.

Pike Grove

Located in the southern part of the town near Green Bay Road. Settlers
were mainly of Welsh descent.

Racine Junction

Rapids

A place on the "rapids" of the Root River where the first
Mount Pleasant pioneers established a settlement.

Sanders Park

Formerly Forest Park - named for naturalist Edwin F. Sanders.

Sturtevant

Formerly named Parkersville, Western Union Junction, and Corliss. Named Sturtevant in Oct. 1, 1923 when the B. F. Sturtevant Co. was established there.

Sylvania

(borders Yorkville)

Waxdale

Home of the S. C. Johnson company

Western Union Junction

Former name for Sturtevant during the establishment of the railroad
Junction at the place. Called by this name until 1900.

Named after early settlers Joseph and Tyler Caldwell, who settled
the area in 1836. A post office was established there by this name.

North Rochester

Another name for Caldwell's Prairie

Schmidt's Corners

Early name for Tichigan

Tichigan (or Tischigan)

Named after a Native American grave site. The word is an Indian
name meaning "Home of the Dead" in English.

Waterford (Village)

There are two possible origins to this name. Supposedly, early
settlers from New York named it after Waterford, New York. Also, it was a place
where the Native American population in the area would commonly "ford" the Fox River.

Waterford Woods

A wooded area on the west bank of the Fox River. It was developed by
Willis J. Mehan and S. H. Harris in 1927 and further developed into neighborhoods
with homes in the 1940s and 1950s.

Named after early settlers to the area Stephen N. Ives and Roland Ives.
A post office was established here by this name.

Old Settler's Park

Named after the Old Settlers' Society in 1870, meeting place for the
Old Settlers' picnic and later the Racine County Fair.

Quarles

early name for Union Grove

Sylvania

(borders Mt. Pleasant)

Union Grove

Supposedly named by then state Governor Dodge for the school in the
area named Union School which was built in 1846. He combined it with "Grove" for the
beautiful grove of trees in the vicinity of the school. Formerly known as "Quarles"

Waite's Corners

Area settled by Charles C. Wait and father Reuben who came here from
Vermont in 1835 and 1838.

Windsor Station

another name for Sylvania

Yorkville (Village)

Formerly Waite's Corners.

Other Nearby Places

East Troy

(Located in Walworth County) Named by early settlers
from Troy, New York who settled the area. Asa Blood and a Mr. Roberts were first settlers.
Originally known as simply "Troy" the townships were divided into "Troy" and "East Troy"
by 1845.

"English Settlment"

Areas of the county in which the predominant ethnic group of
settlers were of English descent: Burlington, Dover and Rochester

Hoadley

Now in Kenosha County. Also known as Cypress.

Honey Creek

Just over the border in Walworth County. Named by settlers
after a large number of bee trees next to a stream in the area in 1836.

Parisville

Now in Kenosha County. Also known as Town of Paris
(submitted by Doris Demet)

Prairie

Now in Kenosha County. Also known as Pleasant Prairie.
(submitted by Doris Demet)

"Scotch Settlement"

Areas of the county in which the predominant ethnic group of
settlers were of Scottish descent: Parts of Dover, Yorkville and Raymond

Troy

see East Troy

Information gleaned from books including "History of Racine and Kenosha Counties..." (1879),
Commemorative Biographical Record of Racine and Kenosha Counties..." (1906) and "Romance
of Wisconsin Placenames"

Can you identify these places?
Aurora
Hickory Point
Kossuth
Lakeville
Lip Creek
Salona
Springbrook
Tradewell's GroveIf you can help us identify these, you may email us. Thanks.